As part of our ongoing State of the Industry 2015 coverage, LMT Editors visited the world’s largest dental show to bring you the scoop on the latest product and process innovations worldwide—including digital dentures, laser milling and more—and what else is coming down the pike for the U.S. market.

Attendees at LMT LAB DAY had a chance to win big by spinning a prize wheel at GC America’s booth in the Exhibit Hall. Big ticket winner of the GC Initial Porcelain kit worth nearly $4,000 was Michael Flaws of Integrity Dental Design in Libertyville, IL. Pam Gingerich of Ragle Dental Lab in Champaign, IL, and Paul Huey of Davison Dental Lab in Flint, MI were both the winners of GC’s Initial...

LMT LAB DAY is always the place for new U.S. product launches and this year didn’t disappoint: attendees got the first look at new lab and intraoral scanners, 3D printers and milling units; digital fabrication materials, such as zirconia for anterior use and PEEK; and solutions for removable prostheses, including some digital fabrication processes.

An approximately 50-year old patient presented with a fracture on tooth #9 (see Figure 1). Since the root was also fractured, the tooth was extracted and a clasp-retained provisional restoration was seated (see Figure 2).

The gingival papilla was prepared prior to placing the implant in order to ensure subsequent seamless progress of the case. After placing the implant, sufficient...

LMT taps into the expertise of 20 laboratory owners and managers from all size labs who’ve successfully incorporated digital technology into their operations, offering real-life experiences and tips on what we all wish we would have known before taking the plunge.

After meeting at LAB DAY West 2013, Sully Samartzis invited LMT’s Judy Fishman to visit his laboratory when she arrived in Arizona later that year. The laboratory is a pristine addition to a gorgeously appointed home, designed by wife Debbie, a professional interior decorator.

In 1999, Sully Samartzis had a toothache on #13. Treatment meant a root canal procedure followed by a crown. Of Greek...

“It’s people who make the difference, so my business philosophy is based on taking care of the staff first. If you do that, I believe everything else will come naturally,” says Jayme Hong, CEO and Chief Rainmaker at IDOC.

The R&E Tax Credit rewards companies investing resources in the development or improvement of its products, processes and techniques. If you qualify, you could receive a credit of $25,000 to $50,000 per year depending on your situation.

Tra’ Chambers had no actual laboratory experience when he opened Express Dental Laboratory in Norman, OK in December 2012. Harnessing the efficiency of CAD/CAM technology, the lab touts a two- to three-day turnaround (or same-day for its mobile service) and generated over $300,000 in revenue during its first full year in business. Now, with a staff of seven, the lab serves 118 clients and...

Knight Dental Group considers its employees so valuable, they’re included in the company’s mission statement: “Our employees are one of our most precious resources; we will treat them with respect and provide a state-of-the-art facility with continuing education and a quality-centered environment.”

Since their introduction in the 1950s, PFM restorations have been the bread-and-butter of C&B and most full service laboratories. In fact, as recently as 2005, only 17% of C&B workloads were metal-free. However, with the proliferation of metal-free materials and technologies, we’re nearing the tipping point: 45% of C&B workloads are now comprised of metal-free restorations, according...

The full contour zirconia trend began in 2009, with the launch of Glidewell’s BruxZir® Solid Zirconia crowns and bridges, marketed as a “virtually unbreakable” option for bruxers and grinders. Other manufacturers began to follow suit and introduce their own solid zirconia options and “Full Z” has become the fastest growing restoration in laboratories across the country.

Foreign Dental Work Put to Test, an investigative report about lead found in restorations made in China was the talk of the industry when it aired in February 2008 on Ohio’s WBNS 10TV. The story covered an Ohio woman who had experienced pain and infection in her jaw after her dentist placed an ill-fitting, three-unit PFM bridge the previous year. After learning the bridge was made in China, she...

For years, porcelain was the material of choice for denture teeth because of its ability to replicate the appearance of natural dentition. But as we entered the 1990s, acrylic denture teeth had replaced porcelain as the industry standard; in fact, the use of porcelain teeth had dropped 50% during the previous decade.

Acrylic teeth offered several functional advantages: they were kinder to opposing...

As the enormous marketing potential of laminate veneers became evident, patent infringement cases began. While DenMat held various material patents, two other companies—Jaff Investment Co., owned by brothers Al and Frank Faunce, and Deneer, Inc., owned by Tom Greggs—held patents on the fabrication process.

However, many laboratories were still producing laminates on their own and this fueled...

In the 1970s, a buzzer on a porcelain furnace was considered a luxury gadget. Back then, many insisted that a true ceramist should be monitoring the progress of the bake by eye, not depending on a buzzer to tell you when the case is ready.However, by the end of 1984, an LMT survey found that two-thirds of porcelain furnaces used in dental laboratories were either partially or fully automatic. LMT then...

In April 2012, Noritake Dental Supply Co., Ltd. integrated with Kuraray Medical Inc. to form Kuraray Noritake Dental Inc.; the U.S. representative of Noritake products is now Kuraray America, Inc. Both headquartered in Japan, Kuraray Medical is renowned for its dental adhesives and cements--including the Panavia, Clearfil and Majesty lines--while Noritake Dental Supply is distinguished for its high...

Mismatched central incisors are a relatively common scenario, and a source of distress to the patient. Despite the high occurrence of these cases, it remains technically challenging for the technician and dentist alike to restore two central incisors that are esthetically balanced while being true to form and function. In addition, the complexity of the case is magnified by the fact that very often,...

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From independent surveys and research to industry-specific management, marketing and business strategies, LMT gives dental laboratory owners and managers the information that's hard to find anywhere else. Incorporating the real-world experiences of people who work in the same market and face the same challenges, LMT's articles are carefully focused...See more on the practical, business side of operating a dental laboratory.

While zirconia is becoming an increasingly popular restorative choice, metal-ceramic solutions are still widely used and, in many cases, preferred because of the esthetics. Renato Carretti offers a look...

LMT Communications delivers the business strategies, information, dental laboratory news and education that dental laboratory decision-makers need to succeed. Through LMT Magazine and our LAB DAY shows, LMT works to advance excellence in dental technology, enhance the products, services and communication of dental technicians, and give dental laboratory owners and managers the tools they need to flourish. Learn More »